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Conception

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Self insemination - Any success stories?!

968 replies

TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks · 15/01/2020 18:47

Hi everyone,

I have NC'd for this to save our blushes!
DH and I have just had our first round of IVF which was sadly unsuccessful after an early miscarriage.
We have 2 frozen embryos but we would like to TTC naturally for the next 6 month's first in the hope the IVF hormones might help boost our chances.
DH has always struggled to ejaculate inside me when DTD. Therefore we have decided to try self insemination in the hope it will take away some of the stress.

I would love to hear any success stories.

Also which insemination kit did you buy?

Has anyone tried a soft cup / Ferti Lily conception cup after inserting the syringe to help things along?

Thanks everyone!

OP posts:
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Carol1980 · 23/08/2020 22:46

@primrosechill
Thanks love x

I'll be taking the one and only Frer that I have in the morning as if I've implanted at 10dpo then it will take until tomorrow for the hcg levels to get to a proper level to get a more visible line.
I've got a few of the cheap internet ones too so I'll be checking to make sure that the line is getting darker, I'm just grateful that it seems as though inplantation has happened as I wouldn't be getting the brown wipes if not, it's way to early for my period, I'm on a 27 day cycle and the brown wipes started last night so cd22, I've never had my period that early Ever ! So I'd like to think it is implantation bleeding, but again, I've never had the bleeding before, even with my previous pregnancy so I'm still a bit wary of being excited about it x
I'm quite tired though, the past couple of days I've been feeling so tired all the time but apart from that and some indegestion ( not unusual as a PMS for me though) im feeling absolutely fine.

Fingers crossed though !

Fingers crossed for you too x when will you start testing ?

primrosechill · 23/08/2020 22:25

Congrats @Carol1980 that’s excellent news! Keep us posted on how you’re getting on :) will you take more pregnancy tests or are you going to just try to trust that your body is doing the right thing?

Sorry I’ve been a bit quiet on here, it’s been a busy week! I’m 3DPO today, the wait is on. Hope everyone else is doing well! x

Carol1980 · 23/08/2020 20:38

Hey ladies x apologies for not posting the past few days, back at work and night shift generally throws me off kilter for a day or so 🤦🏼‍♀️

So I'm now 11dpo and this morning I wiped (tmi) and noticed brown spotting ( I actually don't know why folk call it spotting...it ain't spotting...its like a brush stroke of light brown on a piece of toilet paper 🙄) anyway I'm cd 22 and I'm due on cd27. So took a test and it's a very very faint positive so for the first time ever I've potentially got inplantation bleeding !
Don't think I got it last time but it might be because I've already carried a child that the entrance to my cervix isn't allll the way closes and maybe a wee bit loose hence the show.

I don't really want to get my
Hopes up too much, I'll test in the morning and see how I get on.

Here's the interesting bit.....hubby and I did nothing but 3 syringe inseminations this month, nothing else so if we are pregnant it can be done !!
I wasn't too sure if it would actually work but 🤷‍♀️

Hope this one sticks but given that I'm getting Bronwen paintbrush when wiping ( as I will now know it by) I'm hoping it's a good sign that the little bean is settled in to its new flat for the next 9 months x

MrsKin90 · 21/08/2020 17:42

It is sad isn't it how much it takes over? And the anxiety is so consuming. I'm not sure how anyone conquers that to be honest. The anxiety that it'll never happen or never stick if it does happen. Gotta be positive - does anyone have any positivity spare? 😆 I can't find mine.

I spend my whole cycle worrying I'm going to ovulate earlier than usual and wouldn't have done any SI at all. CD13 today and I'm wondering if I actually ovulated yesterday as my EWCM has gone away (I usually get it for absolutely ages before I ovulate) and I've been getting some cramps, which would mean we only did it once the day before O. Will have to see what my BBT does tomorrow as it went up today 🤨 but I have been down this road before and it might come back down tomorrow and not move again until CD18-30 🙄

Where is everyone else at?

Lori23TTC · 21/08/2020 11:02

@MrsKin90 oh I know how it is to feel like this... it makes me sad that we feel like this and how much it takes over our lives. I can’t watch one born every minute as I just cry lol I will watch it when I am pregnant I’m sure (one day)

So many people I know have announced pregnancy recently and I also feel like well is this ever going to happen for us !!

I’m CD 16 - I normally ovulate on CD 17 so just seeing how we go. I’m just trying to keep anxiety down- I never ever had anxious feeling but since trying for over a year I now get that every month which isn’t helping! Trying to control it.

Hope everyone is ok. Xx

MrsKin90 · 20/08/2020 21:27

Ahh I know. I can't help it. I had a big fat cry whilst watching it. Oh no! I'm sorry you got a BFN. Definitely too early though so don't be disappointed! Will you try not to test for a few days?
It's hard not to symptom spot isn't it? I find it's terrible if you do and a bit like you've already given up if you don't so can't win!!
I've read lots of success stories and obviously pregnancies on this thread for the method, but just feel like it won't ever happen for us.
I'm not sure how long we've been properly trying with the syringe method but it's been over a year now that I stopped birth control 😟

Your poor hubby 😂 sometimes they can be so frustrating though! I try to be extra nice to counter balance when I'm feeling like a snappy cow, which I'm sure he finds equally annoying actually!

That's it, it can change so quickly can't it? So always like to start SI a bit earlier than necessary otherwise I panic I'll miss it. I don't do OPKs as have PCOS so they'd likely give lots of false positives and I can't be dealing with peeing on things all the time 😂 do you have to hold your wee for them? I drink SO much water I think it would always be too diluted.

Carol1980 · 20/08/2020 20:17

@MrsKin90 don't torture your self with one born every minute, I avoid any baby making shows like the plague right now as it just makes me feel sad.
Yep 8dpo today and silly me tested and obviously negative 🙄🙄

I've been feeling quite tired but think it's because I'm back at work after annual leave and was night shift x

Had lots of 'wet' feeling down below the past few days and a brewing headache last night which didn't amount to much but I'm just so over feeling hopeful about it, to be so dissapointed when it doesn't happen, I'm quite irritable just now but I think it's just sheer frustration setting in x

Nothing much else has been happening with regards to symptoms, I'm seriously just trying to not look too much in to it just now x

Going in to our 9 month of trying which when you look at it like that doesn't seem too long but by god it feels like forever !!

This time round we only did SI so if we do end up pregnant then it def can work !!

I feel like I'm snapping at my hubby more the past few days but honestly he's such a tit sometimes !!!

I think it's a great idea for you to do an insurance SI this month x you never know x

My opk's this month went from empty circle to static smily the next day, no flashing smiley whatsoever !!

MrsKin90 · 20/08/2020 19:34

How is everyone doing??
@Carol1980 are you 8dpo today? Hope the tww isn't going too slowly for you!

I've been watching One Born Every Minute, presumably to torture myself. I'm on another thread on a different forum where there were six of us who got close since before Christmas and four got pregnant last cycle and one has paused TTC 😟 so that made me a bit sad lol happy for them obviously but selfishly feel a bit lost now as they were a great support. They haven't all wandered off or anything but very hard seeing pregnancy talk and scans etc. When I'm so far from a pregnancy and who knows if I'll ever get pregnant?? Aka - I'm feeling very sorry for myself.

CD11 today. First SI yesterday, like a safety net in case magically ovulate early 🙄 actual fertile week predicted to be a week today so won't worry about doing it more frequently until then and will just do it every few days until then where we're going to try to do it more frequently😟 but I doubt hubby will manage much. We shall see!

Oilyoilyoilgob · 18/08/2020 10:47

Eviction notice 😂 I’d quite like to serve one of those on my fat legs!

Good luck for this month, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you 😊

I’m going to use the opk sticks after my period to track on the premom app, hopefully they work and show ovulation so I can start to hone in on when is best to start inseminating.

I’ve finally been able to start work again this week and admit I feel a bit ‘meh’. We’d hoped I’d be pregnant over lockdown. My brain this month cannot stop focussing on being pregnant.

Fingers crossed for all of you currently trying or in your tww 🤞🏻💖 xx

Carol1980 · 17/08/2020 20:29

@Oilyoilyoilgob better to plan for the worst and hope for the best x
I was 36 when I got pregnant with my daughter, developed sciatica the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy and served an eviction notice on the baby by the time I got to 42 weeks 🤣

Feeling ok today, been busy which has helped keep my mind off ttc x
5 dpo today and just wishing my life away waiting until I can test !

Oilyoilyoilgob · 17/08/2020 20:06

Thanks carol! I read that and gulped 😄 I’ll be honest, I think it’s because I’ve got to 38 with no children or big medical dramas that I worry. I’m a worrier by nature so the thought of not knowing what will happen is very alien to me!

But I totally agree, whether vaginal or c section, baby has to come out!
Thank you for sharing your experience 😊 and hope you’re feeling better today x

Carol1980 · 17/08/2020 18:26

@Oilyoilyoilgob
As much as you will want to be in control of the birthing side, it pretty much all goes to shit when you go in to labour.
I planned for a water birth....i was 2 1/2 weeks over my due date and when you get past your due date your not allowed to have a water birth. I went in for an induction on the Monday....didn't work until the Wednesday morning, I was in labour for 5 hours and my contractions stopped , Despite being on the drop stuff to kick start labour, then I was brought out of my gas and air fog and told I was going for a section...

Not the birth I planned but as long as your baby comes out be it vaginal or sun roof healthy who cares x
Don't get too hung up on having it all the way you want it, because you'll be so disappointed when it doesn't go to plan....and most first time births don't 🤷‍♀️

Oilyoilyoilgob · 17/08/2020 17:07

Hi everyone, @MrsKin90 But I am worried already 😅 @Lori23TTC @primrosechill thanks for the words about the mole. Waiting to hear back but god I’ve got to get my grown up pants on. And yes I’m already worrying about labour for a baby I’m not pregnant with yet (period came today). My lovely therapist does hypnobirthing so I’ll get on that if/when the time comes!
I have a big need to be in control so this process is very out of my comfort zone. I’ve downloaded the premom app so I’ll use that to track my opk sticks once my period has finished to see what’s what.
Amazing spending all these years doing everything possible to not get pregnant and having no clue on ovulation to weeing on sticks and plotting charts 😏

Primrose, I hope you’re ok. It’s a horrible feeling but I hope you’re feeling ok, and letting yourself feel upset. Look after yourself during this 💚
It’s hard isn’t it? Putting a smile on but inside just such a swirl of thoughts and emotions when you hear/see another announcement. Another friend of mine has just announced their first due next year.

@Carol1980 hope you’re feeling better for the syringing! Think of it as 30mins ‘you time’.
Good luck to everyone for the next few days xx

Carol1980 · 16/08/2020 20:52

@primrosechill
To be honest I don't know what I will do this month, I actually wasnt in the mood to actually ttc at all, it's been a bit full on and today I'm proper irritable 😠
Knowing me I usually feel ok about not testing until I get to about 7/8dpo then I end up using an IC and then I'm dissapointed 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ it's a vicious cycle really !!

primrosechill · 16/08/2020 20:42

@Lori23TTC thank you for being so kind. How are you getting on with insaminating, are you doing anything differently this month? We are moving houses this month so trying to somehow create a sensual and relaxed space in between stacks of boxes and bags 😂🙈 we will somehow have to make it work this week!

@Carol1980 glad to hear I’m not the only one with short cycles on here! My period is still usually 4-5 days. You’re a few days dpo now, exciting - are you tempted to test early or will you wait until af is due? x

Carol1980 · 15/08/2020 18:51

Hi,

I also have a very short cycle, I'm about about 25/27 days most of the time it's about 27 x and I'm only on for about 3 days but this month I was 2 days if that.

I'm now 3dpo.

We did 3 tries this time round so fingers crossed.

I think it's totally normal to feel a bit resentful of others having babies and getting pregnant.

I've got a friend who is pregnant right now, I'm finding it extremely patronising when she tells me 'don't worry you'll get pregnant fine', it's been 8 months and we're still trying, I feel like smacking her when she says it x

Lori23TTC · 14/08/2020 15:05

@primrosechill hey... I’m sorry to hear you are feeling low. I wanted to reply as I feel the same so I completely get it. I had a friend announce a few days ago and I just wanted to cry... so hard to be happy and not relate it back to yourself.

My cycles are 31/32 days which I hate as I have to wait a full month each time and the waiting kills me. I wouldn’t have thought having a shorter cycle would effect you that much it’s just how your body works. You still have periods each month so it’s doing what it should.

I’m CD9 will start ‘trying’ next week. Trying to relax myself as I just feel stressed coming into my Fw now as i feel like it’s never going to happen. I just wish we could do it normally sometimes.

I’ve also had loads of moles removed you can’t feel it just a bit sore after but nothing to worry about. Xx

primrosechill · 14/08/2020 12:37

Hi everyone! Feeling low today, woke up to an instagram post from a friend announcing her new baby and felt like throwing my phone against the wall. Hate being that person - I want to feel happy for others and be sure that my time will come!

CD7 today so at least soon enough we can try inseminating again and I can feel like it’s in my control.

Does anyone on here have relatively short cycles? Mine are usually around 25 days with O around the 13th day. I used to be quite happy about it because it means that whenever we are unsuccessful, we can start trying again super soon, but now I’m beginning to wonder if that gives the egg less time to properly develop etc etc. I am just stressing for no good reason probably, my lutheal phase is still around 12 days, which is healthy, so I think it should be fine 🤔

@Oilyoilyoilgob I am a total hypochondriac when it comes to my moles and everything else so I hear you 😂 if it makes you feel any better, I had two moles cut out and under local anaesthetic you don’t feel anything at all!!

MrsKin90 · 13/08/2020 17:23

@Oilyoilyoilgob you're not out until AF shows as the saying goes so you never know.
Don't be too scared about your mole, it's hard to tell by looking at things on Google. And you'll be all numbed up if it does need to be removed, sometimes they laser them rather than cut them. You can't worry about labour already 😂

Oilyoilyoilgob · 13/08/2020 14:51

Hi everyone! Just checking in hoping that everyone is ok 😊

My period is due in three days, I’m spotty and ravenous so assuming the first round of syringing hasn’t worked but onwards and upwards! At least this cycle I can use the ovulation strips and find out what’s going on with my innards.

Getting a mole checked out on my face and after consulting dr Google I think I’ll need it cut out and I’m bricking it. Then I think how will I cope with pregnancy and childbirth 😳 I’m winding myself up today.

Hope everyone is feeling ok and @TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks hope you’re feeling well xx

MrsKin90 · 09/08/2020 13:26

@LuckyFlash thanks so much for sharing your chart. So happy for you! 😊

@TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks how are you feeling today? When do you find out if the IVF has worked this time? 🤞🤞I'll look into reflexology as sounds like some nice "me time".

@primrosechill sorry about your BFN 😟 any chance you're just testing a bit early?!

@Lori23TTC I'm on CD1 today as AF started properly today. Have had weird spotting for three days though and my BBT went up with the spotting so I was a little bit hopeful but obviously shouldn't have been! 🙄

We are trying smaller syringes this cycle as we were using 5ml ones which were unnecessarily large. I'm also swapping to a plastic pot as I'd been using a rubber menstrual cup, which I feel it's hard to keep warm whilst sperm are in there also they stick to the side a bit 😂 so plastic pot it is! I'm thinking I might not bother with using fertility lube this cycle as I have been for the last three cycles but clearly isn't making any difference and tried a variety of adding to semen/inserting before the semen/having it already in the syringe and then adding the semen to that. I've exhausted the options and worry it's just more to worry about.
I'm on another forum where 4/5 people I was talking to have gotten their BFPs in the last cycle or two. I definitely feel like it's never going to happen 🥺 which I know is how everyone feels. Hubby said we can get SA done sooner if I want to so will do one more cycle and then look into that.
Not sure if I should take Coq10/ubiquitol to help my egg quality but cautious of taking too much. Does anyone else take this? As I O quite late I wonder if itdi be worth it.

primrosechill · 07/08/2020 19:07

@LuckyFlash huge congrats!! It’s such an incredible feeling to see that second line on a test after so many BFNs, isn’t it? Enjoy your holiday - what a great surprise right before you go!!

@TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks so lovely to hear from you! Keep us posted on your IVF progress, I really hope you get your good news soon - these future babies better appreciate the anxiety, heartbreak, scheduling and money that went into creating them! Haha.

@MrsKin90 I think we’re in similar stages of thr cycle this month. I’m about to get my AF this weekend, too. I’m CD25 today and got a BFN this morning so onto another cycle we go...

Lori23TTC · 07/08/2020 12:35

@TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks I really hope this round of IVF works for you lovely.

@LuckyFlash thank you for sharing it’s just so reassuring that this method works! I also take evening primrose oil... I only take one tablet per day. I’m on CD2 argh so fingers crossed for this month! X

TurkeyBasterHopeItWorks · 07/08/2020 11:33

Hi @LuckyFlash, Thank you for your good wishes. Huge congratulations on your BFP. I really hope everything goes well. Have a lovely time on holiday with your family and try and relax (easier said than done I know!)

Hi @Oilyoilyoilgob - I’m doing okay thanks. I wish you much luck. I’m starting to think I’ve just talked myself into these sachets to justify the cost 😂!
I know just how you feel with the anxiety around pregnancy and also when others are having babies. This is certainly a place of no judgement. The support for everyone on this thread has been amazing. I’ll have my fingers crossed for you and all you ladies that this is your month x

Hi @MrsKin90 - I didn’t realise acupuncture was dearer, I felt guilty saying I was spending £40 for each session of reflexology! Yes that’s right it’s to do with feet but they can also work on the hands in normal circumstances but not during the pandemic (because it would mean being nearer to the persons face). I know how you feel about feet, my feet are wide and certainly not pretty but I thought surely mine can’t be the worst she’s seen so I thought just go for it!! I was worried I’d find it ticklish and awkward but as soon as she starts it’s like I switch off and relax. At some stages I don’t even notice she is doing anything I almost zone out and sometimes almost nod off! Maybe consider trying one appointment and see how you find it.
Well done for losing the weight before, it shows you can do it. Knowing I had to get the 4 stone off for the IVF was the only thing that made me do it, I had that target. Don’t be hard on yourself, coming off the birth control has a lot to do with the weight creeping back. I agree re: SW, I found once I stopped looking at the books and keeping a record of what I was eating that’s when my weight started creeping up again. Be kind to yourself, you’ll find something that works for you. Like you say going back to basics isn’t a bad thing!
There is a thread I saw yesterday that made me smile about appreciating carbs, I’ve found my foodie people! I ate tons of carbs on SW and I still lost the weight!
You had a really tough cycle this time around, you certainly couldn’t have done any more. Best of luck to you x

Have a good day everyone, stay cool! ☀️

OP posts:
LuckyFlash · 07/08/2020 11:25

Thanks ladies! Yes we only did insemination during my fw so it definitely worked that way! I’ve attached my chart to see when we did it (chart is a total mess after O due to insomnia!)

The only thing I did differently this month was take evening primrose oil from CD1 up to ovulation as I wasn’t producing any EWCM. I definitely noticed a little bit this month so it helped. Whether it made the difference in getting the BFP is anyone’s guess!

I had worries about DH’s sperm too as he is on antidepressants that supposedly harm them so we were going to get a SA privately next month if it didn’t work

Self insemination - Any success stories?!